The Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and the Okyehene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin took part in a historic tee off at the Royal Golf course in Kumasi on Saturday in the second edition of the annual Head of State Golf tournament.
The gesture, seen by many as an attempt to douse recent rift between Akyems and Asantes following some disparaging comments supposedly made by some Akyems in government also brought together business tycoons, including Sir Sam Jonah and captains of industry.
The two traditional leaders arrived together in Otumfuo's sleek limousine and proceeded to the course where they hugged each other before teeing off which was received by a spontaneous applause.
The two played over two holes in the one-day 18-hole competition meant for business executives and CEOs.
At least, 150 amateurs are billed to play shortly in the rotational competition. The next edition will be hosted by Damang in the Western region.
Kweku Ofosuhene became the first golfer to win the maiden edition hosted by the Achimota Golf Club.
In a message sent to the tournament, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo bemoaned the over-concentration of sports development on football to the detriment of other disciplines.
"This has to change. And that is why government, this year is continuing the process of passing the legislative Instruments of the National Youth and Sports Act, pursuing the enactment of the draft National Sports College Bill, and creating a Sports Fund to improve sports development in the country.
He said as a sport that generates some $68.8 billion to the USA, it should not be overlooked in Ghana, adding that its development deserves to receive a major boost in the country.
Source: Graphic.com
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God bless you all our leaders. this is true colours of unity
Obaatan, a good one there, but to me, the Otumfuo is self-centered and attaches too much importance to his royalty and popularity to the responsibility attached to his position as Asantehene. So far he has not been able to live up to the standards set by his predecessors in terms of morality, integrity, honesty statesmanship and leadership. He has only been beneficial of those virtues left by his predecessors. His public image has been tainted by bad news. And he needs to do more to polish his image. The sycophants around him can obviously not help him.
It needed not have taken this way, which I still find childish, anyway, to arrive at this subtle gesture. I think they both have to do more, especially Asantehene, to justify the genuineness of the act.
This is historic!!!